Sex ratio at birth dips in 17 large States, Gujarat tops list

News:

The sex ratio at birth (SRB) saw a decline in 17 out of 21 large states of the country, with Gujarat recording an alarming dip of 53 points, a Niti Aayog report stated and stressed on the need to check sex-selective abortion.

Findings in the Report:

According to the report, among the 17 states which recorded substantial drop of 10 points or more, in Gujarat the SRB fell to 854 females from 907 females per 1,000 males born registering a drop of 53 points from 2014-15 (base year) to 2015-16 (reference year).

The report stated that, there is a clear need for States to effectively implement the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 and take adequate measures to promote the value of the girl child.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

SHERLOCK: A new paper-based DNA test to rapidly diagnose diseases

News:

Scientists have developed the first inexpensive, miniature paper test that can precisely detect diseases from DNA samples and allows the results to be seen with the naked eye, just like pregnancy tests.

Beyond News:

After dipping the paper strip into a processed sample, a line appears, indicating whether the target molecule was detected or not.

The innovations build on the team’s earlier version of SHERLOCK (Specific High Sensitivity Reporter unLOCKing) and add to a growing field of research that harnesses CRISPR systems for uses beyond gene editing.

Applications:

The team used SHERLOCK to detect cell-free tumour DNA in blood samples from lung cancer patients and to detect synthetic Zika and Dengue virus simultaneously, in addition to other demonstrations.

The technology demonstrates potential for many healthcare applications, including diagnosing infections in patients and detecting mutations that confer drug resistance or cause cancer.

It can also be used for industrial and agricultural applications where monitoring steps along the supply chain can reduce waste and improve safety.

Cas13:

At the core of SHERLOCK’s success is a CRISPR-associated protein called Cas13, which can be programmed to bind to a specific piece of RNA.

Cas13’s target can be any genetic sequence, including viral genomes, genes that confer antibiotic resistance in bacteria, or mutations that cause cancer.

Andromeda galaxy is the same size as Milky Way

News

Astronomers have discovered that our nearest big neighbour, the Andromeda galaxy, is roughly the same size as the Milky Way.

Beyond News

It had been thought that Andromeda was two to three times the size of the Milky Way, and that our own galaxy would ultimately be engulfed by our bigger neighbour.

But the new study evens the score between the two galaxies.

It found the weight of the Andromeda is 800 billion times heavier than the Sun, on par with the Milky Way.

The research suggests scientists previously overestimated the amount of dark matter in the Andromeda galaxy.

The study used a new technique to measure the speed required to escape a galaxy.

The Milky Way and Andromeda are two giant spiral galaxies in our local Universe, and light takes a cosmologically tiny two million years to get between them.

With Andromeda no longer considered the Milky Way’s big brother, new simulations are needed to find out what will happen when the two galaxies eventually collide, suggests the study.

Guards get modern weapons to fight poaching

News:

In a major initiative for wildlife protection, the forest guards in Assam were given modern weapons like self-loading rifles (SLRs) and 9 MM pistols to check poaching of rhinos, tigers and other wild animals.

‘First time in country’

Chief Minister said that,for the first time in the country, 10 wildlife fast-track courts have been set up to exclusively deal with poaching and other related crimes against wild animals.

Wildlife fast-track courts have been set up in 10 districts and such courts have been set up for the first time in the country.

Beyond News:

Assam has five national parks and 19 wildlife sanctuaries. It is home to more than 91% of Indian rhinos (2,431 rhinos as per 2015 census). It is also home to 167 tigers, 248 leopards, 1,169 swamp deer besides a large number of wild buffaloes, different varieties of deer and other animals.

According to an estimate tabled in the Assembly this month, altogether 74 rhinos have been killed by poachers since 2015 and 316 poachers arrested during 2015-17.

Aerial mapping of Bengaluru’s solar energy potential takes off.

News:

Laser mapping technology is being used in Bengaluru to map the city’s potential to generate rooftop solar energy.

Beyond News:

The initiative, which is based on a 2016 agreement of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) and Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL), finally took flight at Jakkur aerodrome.

Bescom has commissioned the mapping in a bid to meet its target of generation of 1,000 MW of rooftop solar energy by 2022 from Bengaluru alone.

The aircraft will cover an approximate area of 1,100 sq. km, generating high resolution images of rooftops of buildings in the city. The mapping will be carried out by CSTEP and the data generated will be submitted to the Energy Department.

LiDAR technology(light detection and ranging)

The LiDAR technology will send pulsed laser light on to the rooftop of a building and translate the reflected light into data points. Based on objects such as trees surrounding the rooftop, shadow-free area available for solar power generation will be calculated and an estimate will be arrived at as to the capacity of solar generation of each building in the city, said officials.

The data mapping will continue for a fortnight for about two hours every day.

Nb: We analyse all leading 8 newspapers in India for this mains answer writings questions & those already covered in previous dates wont be asked again to write, instead will be provided in compilation.You wont get these wide coverage anywhere else.

It includes : The Hindu, The indian express, The Business standard,The Financial express,The Tribune,The Business line,The Hindustan Times.

We included Down to earth, The live mint, Economic & political weekly from feb 8 onwards as per the requests from users.

General Studies -01

Syllabusarea: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia & Indian subcontinent)

Don't be selfish..Share with friends..Sharing is caring.

Daily 8 editorials compilation free for answer writing for February 19 This is important as all editorials may not be equally important everyday.We provides important editorials only. So keep serious eye on syllabus while analyzing editorials. We will be providing it separately as many users notified issues with accessing compilation associated with MASTER 2018 daily writing series for mains 2018.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured that his government is pursuing the demand that Marathi be granted the status of `classical language’ with the Union government.

Beyond News:

The proposal was placed before a committee of linguistic experts, which approved it, and now it is under the consideration of the Union Ministry of Culture, the Maharashtra CM informed.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Nearly 100 new planets discovered beyond our solar system.

News:

Scientists have confirmed nearly 100 new planets outside our solar system, bringing the total number of exoplanets found using NASA’s K2 mission to almost 300.

Beyond News:

One of the planets detected was orbiting a very bright star.

The Kepler spacecraft was launched in 2009 to hunt for exoplanets in a single patch of sky, but in 2013, a mechanical failure crippled it. However, astronomers and engineers devised a way to save the telescope by changing its field of view periodically.

This solution paved the way for the follow-up K2 mission, which is still ongoing as the spacecraft searches for exoplanet transits. These transits can be found by registering dips in light caused by the shadow of an exoplanet as it crosses in front of its host star.

The dips are indications of exoplanets, which must then be examined more closely to confirm their nature.

The first planet orbiting a star similar to our own sun was detected in 1995. Today, some 3,600 exoplanets have been found, ranging from rocky Earth-sized planets to large gas giants like Jupiter.

Delhi, Haryana told to resolve polluted water supply issue

News:

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the governments of Delhi and Haryana to convene a meeting and resolve the matter pertaining to polluted water, which is allegedly being provided by the Haryana government to the Capital.

Beyond News:

A Bench directed the chief secretaries of the two governments to meet on February 20 and settle the issue after the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) had moved an application in the tribunal.

The DJB had alleged that the water that was being supplied by the Haryana government had high ammonia content to the extent that the water could not be treated and supplied as drinking water to the people in the national capital.

The green panel passed the directions after both the authorities agreed to an amicable settlement.

The DJB had claimed that while at the source point in Haryana, the ammonia content in the water was negligible, the source point in Delhi saw high levels of ammonia.

Cause:

The petition had alleged that the primary cause of pollution appeared to be the addition of untreated domestic and industrial waste in some areas, including Panipat and Sonipat.

Milky Way ties with Andromeda in galactic arms race

News

The Andromeda galaxy, our nearest large neighbour, is roughly the same size as the Milky Way, astronomers have found, putting the “gravitational arms race to rest”.

Beyond News

It had been thought that Andromeda was two to three times the size of the Milky Way, and that our own galaxy would ultimately be engulfed by our supposedly bigger neighbour.

However, the latest research evens the score between the two galaxies. The study found the weight of the Andromeda is 800 billion times heavier than the Sun, on par with the Milky Way.

The study used a new technique to measure the speed required to escape a galaxy.

The research suggests scientists previously overestimated the amount of dark matter in the Andromeda galaxy.

The Milky Way and Andromeda are two giant spiral galaxies in our local universe, and light takes a cosmologically tiny two million years to get between them.

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Supreme Court revises Tamil Nadu Cauvery water quota to 177.25 tmc

The Supreme Court in a verdict on the Cauvery river water dispute, reduced the allocation of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu.

Beyond News

Karnataka will now supply 177.25 tmc instead of 192 tmc – a reduction of 14.75 tmc, from its Billigundlu site to Mettur dam in Tamil Nadu

A Special Bench declared the Cauvery a “national asset” and largely upheld the water-sharing arrangements finalised by the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) in its award on February 5, 2007, said Karnataka was entitled to a “marginal” relief.

The court rejected an argument by the Centre that Section 6A of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act of 1956 bestowed upon it discretion in framing a Cauvery water sharing scheme.

The court said that subject to the formulation of a scheme, the water allocation arrangement should stand unchanged for the next 15 years.

It said the argument did not stand to reason and a scheme had to be framed under Section 6A as per the Tribunal award.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

More villages join protest against Kondapochamma reservoir

News

Protests continue to strengthen in Bahilampur village in Telangana against the Kondapochamma reservoir in Mulugu mandal, with residents of Mamidyala village joining the agitation and stalling the ongoing work.

Beyond News

Some 200 locals squatted in a tent erected in Bahilampur and had a heated argument with some TRS leaders about promises made by Chief Minister, not being fulfilled.

Residents said that the promises must be fulfilled before forcing them to vacate the village.

Villagers said that,heavy dust clouds had encompassed the village, a result of the construction activity, making it difficult to even breathe.

In addition, the villagers of Singaram under Mallannasagar limits have also commenced a protest demanding constructing of double bedroom houses before they are asked to leave the village.

Orangutan population under threat at Borneo Island

News

Hunting by people and habitation destruction by oil palm, paper, logging and mining industries helped drive a startling drop of about 50 percent in the orangutan population on the island of Borneo from 1999 to 2015.

Beyond News

The researchers calculated a population decrease of about 148,500 during that 16-year period and projected another drop of 45,000 by 2050, painting a bleak picture for the future of these shaggy reddish tree dwellers that are among the world’s most imperiled great apes.

Deforestation was only part of the danger. Around 70 percent of the loss in Borneo’s populations may have resulted from orangutan killings by people in forested areas.

The researchers tallied arboreal nests for these apes and used satellite images to appraise forest loss, determining there were between 200,000 and 300,000 Borneo orangutans in 1999 and between 70,000 and 100,000 in 2015.

Nb: We analyse all leading 8 newspapers in India for this mains answer writings questions & those already covered in previous dates wont be asked again to write, instead will be provided in compilation.You wont get these wide coverage anywhere else.

It includes : The Hindu, The indian express, The Business standard,The Financial express,The Tribune,The Business line,The Hindustan Times.

We included Down to earth, The live mint, Economic & political weekly from feb 8 onwards as per the requests from users.

General Studies -01

Syllabusarea: Social empowerment; Salient features of Indian society..

Q1: Do you think that four year integrated B.Ed program will be a way forward for achieving quality in teachers training? Discuss the issues with indias education system that prevents the sustainable goal of Right to education . (250 words)

Daily 8 editorials compilation free for answer writing for February 16 This is important as all editorials may not be equally important everyday.We provides important editorials only. So keep serious eye on syllabus while analyzing editorials. We will be providing it separately as many users notified issues with accessing compilation associated with MASTER 2018 daily writing series for mains 2018.

The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh and is firmly opposed to the Indian leader’s visit to the disputed area.

Mr. Geng said that China and India had reached “important consensus” on properly managing disputes, and the two sides were working to resolve the territorial disputes through negotiation and consultation.

He urged India to cherish “the hard-won momentum of improvements in bilateral relations and create enabling conditions for the boundary talks and the development of bilateral relations.”

Kerala has pressed for ban on Popular Front of India

News

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has said that,Kerala has sought a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI), a Muslim organisation that is mainly operating out of the State.

Beyond News

The issue was discussed at the annual DGP meet held in Madhya Pradesh’s Tekanpur in January, where Kerala police chief Lokanath Behera gave a detailed presentation on the PFI’s growth and activities in the State.

The session was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior officials in the security establishment.

Mr. Behera listed four cases where members of the PFI were involved in criminal activities.

Last year, the National Investigation Agency sent a detailed report to the Home Ministry and mentioned four cases where cadres of the PFI had either been charge-sheeted or convicted.

In 2010, some armed members of the PFI attacked Professor T. J. Joseph in Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam district, and chopped off his right palm.
Mr. Joseph was targeted over a question paper he set for a college examination that had some references to the Prophet Mohammad, which the attackers said insulted the Prophet.
In May 2015, a court convicted 13 PFI activists in the case.

The NIA said it examined nine cases where men and women converted to Islam and in at least four of them, the involvement of members of the PFI was established.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Electrons behind colourful auroras observed for the first time

News

Scientists have, for the first time, directly observed the shower of electrons bouncing across Earth’s magnetic field, which causes the spectacular, colourful phenomenon commonly known as the Northern Lights.

Beyond News

While the cause of these colourful auroras has long been hypothesized, researchers had never directly observed the underlying mechanism until now. The spectacle of these subatomic showers is legendary.
Green, red, and purple waltz across the night sky, blending into one another for a fantastic show widely considered one of the great wonders of the world.

Among a variety of auroras, pulsating auroral patches appearing at dawn are common but the physical mechanisms driving this auroral pulsation had so far not been verified through observation.

With the advent of a new satellite with advanced measuring tools, researchers have now identified that this wonder is caused by the hard-to-detect interaction between electrons and plasma waves.
This interaction takes place in the Earth’s magnetosphere, the region surrounding the Earth in which the behaviours of the electric particles is usually governed by the planet’s magnetic field.

The global reconfiguration often drives a specific type of plasma waves called chorus waves, to rain electrons into the upper atmosphere. This stabilizes the system, and gives off a colourful light as the electrons fall.

Straw management now mandatory in Punjab

News

In an attempt to check the dangerous trend of stubble burning, the Punjab government has decided to make use of Super Straw Management System while using the combine harvester machines mandatory for harvesting the paddy (rice) crop.

Beyond News

These instructions are aimed at saving the environment from air pollution caused by stubble burning.

The owners of combine harvesters desirous of undertaking the harvesting of paddy in the State would now have to attach super straw management system with the harvester combine.

Punjab Pollution Control Board have also instructed that no harvester combine shall be allowed to harvest paddy in Punjab without functional super straw management system.
Instructions have been issued under section 31 A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.